[gordec]

Anyone knows an US seller for the M2? This is one of the most elusive players to get right now. I can't find one here state side, and I can only find it on European stores. I want to be able to purchase warranty. Thanks.

 

[dnun8086]

  Anyone knows an US seller for the M2? This is one of the most elusive players to get right now. I can't find one here state side, and I can only find it on European stores. I want to be able to purchase warranty. Thanks.

You can purchase in the US through Acoustic Research's specific USA website, www.acousticresearch-hifi.com. You get the full USA warranty and return privileges.

 

[John247]

Also Great to hear you are getting on with the player so well! 

Couldn't agree more especially DSD files so full, rich and detailed as you said a really engaging and organic sound. Streaming tracks on Tidal even offer a really great sense of dynamics when coupled with a good recording or two. Got lost for a few hours just going through albums on there.

Thanks for the feedback, I am more of an IOS fan boy myself but certainly isn't difficult using the player. I found the same to be true with all of my dynamic driver earphones but this is where the impedance and sensitivity factor comes in regarding BA's and hybrids. 

Oh recommendations hum depends on your sound signature... HD700's/HD800 are great match for an open, fluid slightly brighter sounding pair. There is also something very underrated imo may not present as much detail as you would like but still fantastic for a warmer but detailed sound is the Master & Dynamic MH40. 

After much listening, I ended up getting the Audeze LCD-X. The Grados and the Oppos were both good but I really liked the organic but open sound of the LCD-X.

 

[dnun8086]

After much listening, I ended up getting the Audeze LCD-X. The Grados and the Oppos were both good but I really liked the organic but open sound of the LCD-X.

Yeah I like the LCD-X as well the AR-M2 manages to drive them really quite well too. Whilst I'm at it anyone fancy a few dirty pictures..... just kidding talking about the new M20 and the impedance adaptor. I'll try upload images tonight if I get time. 

 

[John247]

Everyone loves a bit of impedance adapter action.

 

[Fr_eak]

Will be interested in the impedance adapter!

 

[dnun8086]

 

 

Dirty pictures as promised 

 

[frankow]

Looks great, is that a case on the player?
 
How can we get hold of the impedance adapter?
 
Thanks

 

[Whitigir]

Looks great, is that a case on the player?

How can we get hold of the impedance adapter?

Thanks

Custom made, DIY, or 3rd party

 

[dnun8086]

  Looks great, is that a case on the player?
 
How can we get hold of the impedance adapter?
 
Thanks

Yep that be the new case for the M20 will also come in a stylish brown. The impedance adapter will be on the market once initial quality control procedures have been adhered to.
 
It is in house designed by AR they've tried to create the best solution to make sure the sound signature doesn't deviate from what your getting right now, there is one concern about the higher frequencies changing by a very, very small margin but the team is working on that so that it's like the adapter isn't even there. 
 
If anyone is interested in a samples I'll see if I can get some sent out at a discount rate, I'll swing for free but I make no promise lol. 

 

[Loquah]

Just be aware with impedance adapters that they will eat some of the gain to give you more volume range and an improvement in the perceived noise floor, but they also raise the output impedance of the device and will therefore cause changes in the performance of some headphones / earphones, particularly multi-BA IEMs. Sadly, most of the devices that most need the adapter will be directly affected by it in terms of damping and frequency response. Some 'phones will respond well to this (the results can be an improvement), but others will respond poorly and it's often hard to accurately predict.

 

[Fr_eak]

I just spotted this post from Acoustic Research Hong Kong's facebook page, it is an official reply:
 
M20 is the simplified version of M2. There will only be one 3.5mm output instead of two. The DAC will be BurrBrown PCM5242. There will still be a dual crystal oscillator configuration for native multiple sample rate support so there is no need to fall back to lousy low precision "upsampling". High precision digital volume control will be implemented instead of the ALPS analogue volume control. There will be 32GB of internal memory. Still, MicroSDXC slot allows storage upgrade. File formats support will be identical to M2. Gapless album support will be available to M20 at launch.

Comparing M2 and M20, M2 delivers much warmer and more detailed sound. Still, we are sure that M20 will give some hard time for the competitions to match. Also, the maximum output of M20 will be 2.1V RMS. It works better with low to medium impedance earphones.

For M2 users, worry not about the gapless album support. The gapless support will soon be available through firmware upgrade very soon. Also, there will be a new accessory, impedance adapter for M2, will be available for improving the matching for low impedance in-ear earphones.
 
Source: https://www.facebook.com/AcousticResearchHK/ 

 

[krismusic]

I just spotted this post from Acoustic Research Hong Kong's facebook page, it is an official reply:

[COLOR=141823]M20 is the simplified version of M2. There will only be one 3.5mm output instead of two. The DAC will be BurrBrown PCM5242. There will still be a dual crystal oscillator configuration for native multiple sample rate support so there is no need to fa[/COLOR][COLOR=141823]ll back to lousy low precision "upsampling". High precision digital volume control will be implemented instead of the ALPS analogue volume control. There will be 32GB of internal memory. Still, MicroSDXC slot allows storage upgrade. File formats support will be identical to M2. Gapless album support will be available to M20 at launch.


Comparing M2 and M20, M2 delivers much warmer and more detailed sound. Still, we are sure that M20 will give some hard time for the competitions to match. Also, the maximum output of M20 will be 2.1V RMS. It works better with low to medium impedance earphones.


For M2 users, worry not about the gapless album support. The gapless support will soon be available through firmware upgrade very soon. Also, there will be a new accessory, impedance adapter for M2, will be available for improving the matching for low impedance in-ear earphones.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=141823]Source: [/COLOR]https://www.facebook.com/AcousticResearchHK/ 

Hmmm. Sounds like the M20 will be a lower grade model.

 

[dnun8086]

Hmmm. Sounds like the M20 will be a lower grade model.

Believe me heard it at the Bristol show it's far from a lower grade model in terms of sound quality. Few features missing but we might see an added bit of bluetooth. Overall the design is very similar quite a bit lighter and the battery last a fair bit longer. Once the pre production units are finished I'll see if we can get a tour going. Had so much positive response from people at the show one of the best lines I heard was, "the A&K produces sound the M20 produces music" just brilliant! 

 

[krismusic]

Believe me heard it at the Bristol show it's far from a lower grade model in terms of sound quality. Few features missing but we might see an added bit of bluetooth. Overall the design is very similar quite a bit lighter and the battery last a fair bit longer. Once the pre production units are finished I'll see if we can get a tour going. Had so much positive response from people at the show one of the best lines I heard was, "the A&K produces sound the M20 produces music" just brilliant! 

Sounds good. I'm very interested.